The prior art includes examples of retainer and holding devices for use in retaining a sling or strap. Among these are included the safety shoulder strap holder of Gardner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,065 which discloses a pin-type holder attached to a garment on the shoulder and having a hook portion for holding a strap of a shoulder bag. The hook portion is hingedly attached to the holder and becomes detachable in the instance of an excessive pulling force exerted upon the strap.
Another example of a retainer for a shoulder sling is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,039, to Sasaki, and which includes an elongated main body with a button hole adjacent to one end thereof, a hook means securing to the other end of the body and defining a sling receiving hook piece.
A further example of a holder device configured to be worn on a body and for retaining such as a cable is depicted in Roshsven, U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,709 and provided in the form of a shoulder plate in combination with a plurality of straps disposed about the waist and upper portion of the wearer's body. The plate is slidably connected to one of the straps to permit its adjustment, with the remaining straps securely fastened about the body and a belt hook movably attached to the strap whereby the device may also be fastened to the wearer's belt.
Other references of note include the rifle sling support apparatus of Barron, U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,610 having a waist belt attachable securement strap to which is mounted an article supporting hook with angle adjustment means. Miller et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,532 teaches a similarly configured rifle sling support for securing a rifle to the back of the user and which includes an engagement portion supported upon a nylon webbing, the engagement portion having elongated and overlapping inter-engaging portions for securing a location between the grip and stock of the rifle.
Further references of note include the shoulder weight carrier of Orr, U.S. Pat. No. 1,281,822, the strap holder for rifles of Ware, U.S. Pat. No. 3,083,885 and the gun sling retainer of Carlson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,748,390.